Music: {allcanada} SMITH-PELLY LEADS OFFENCE; MAJORS BEAT ATTACK IN FIRST GAME

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

{allcanada} SMITH-PELLY LEADS OFFENCE; MAJORS BEAT ATTACK IN FIRST GAME

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Devante Smith-Pelly scored a pair of goals and linemate Casey Cizikas scored once and added two assists to power the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors to a 5-2 victory over the Owen Sound Attack Tuesday night in the opening game of the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League final.

The Majors won for the 13th time in 14 playoff games.

Smith-Pelly scored his first goal of the night on a Mississauga power play less than four minutes into the first period. The big winger then put the Majors ahead 2-1 early in the second with his ninth goal of the playoffs.

Smith-Pelly's second marker ignited a three-goal second-period uprising by the Majors, who outshot the Attack 21-7 in the period.

Cizikas scored his fourth of the playoffs at the 14-minute mark of the second. Just 43 seconds later, Chris DeSousa put the Majors out in front 4-1 when he scored on a quick shot from the edge of the crease after taking a short centring pass from Rob Flick.

Jordan Mayer closed out the scoring into an empty net with just 13 seconds remaining in the game.

Robby Mignardi scored both goals for Owen Sound, each on a power play. His first goal tied the game 1-1 early in the first and his second early in the third period pulled Owen Sound to within two goals of Mississauga.

The Attack put pressure on the Majors after Mignardi's second goal, outshooting Mississauga 12-1 in the third. But they weren't able to get anything past St. Mike's goalie J.P. Anderson, who ended up making 27 saves.

The Attack pulled goaltender Scott Stajcer in favour of an extra attacker with 50 seconds remaining in the third but the move backfired when Mayer stole the puck from Owen Sound defenceman Geoffrey Schemitsch and scored into an empty net.

Stajcer was outstanding in goal for the Attack. Among the 18 saves he made in the second period was on a penalty shot awarded to Cizikas after the Mississauga centre was tripped on a breakaway.

Stajcer ended with 23 saves.

The second game in the series is Thursday night in Owen Sound, Ont.